Strategic Leadership in Turbulent TimesCivil society and social enterprise, empowered to drive positive change

Highlights from Euclid Leadership Network SeminarBarcelona - 12-13 May 2015

Key messages from the seminar

We need strategic leadership!

Our countries have various approaches towards funding strategies. There is no one-fits-all

strategy. Broaden your perspectives!

CSOs must lead by example, evidencing that diversity not only mirrors reality but also broadens

your impact.

We need to develop international leadership skills because ever-changing external contexts do shape our opportunities to work for impact!

Civil society leaders need to carry strong social messages if they want to engage a wider public.

In partnership with

A Euclid Leadership Network Seminar

Working with members and partners across Europe and beyond, the Euclid Leadership Network:• Creates connections between civil society and social enterprise leaders• Shares and produces leadership, professional and entrepreneurial knowhow

Our Spring 2015 Meeting• Second meeting of the Euclid Leadership Network• We explored four key issues that are challenging the way civil society organisations work, grow and create

impact in these turbulent 21st century• We collectively reflect on the role that civil society leaders should and could play to carry change and drive

positive change• Specific focus on a regional case: Catalonia

With whom? • 10 countries, 23 European civil society leaders and senior managers • National support organisations for civil society• Universities and business schools• Social services providers

Who took part?

Achievements

• Explored major challenges that civil society leaders currently face across Europe

• Shared experience and expertise• Examined national contexts and best practices• Engaged with local civil society representatives in the specific

context of Catalonia• Networked with members and peers

What makes civil society leadership special?

•The double identity of the civil society leader:• An inspiring manager : the leading role within the organisation• An engaged leader: a key role in bringing societal change

• A result-oriented type of leadership: • Communicate a clear vision and strong social values • Work towards impact

• Key qualities expected:• Integrity• Trustworthiness• Adaptability

“An social leader is able to influence and mobilise others

to achieve social transformation”, Ignasi

Carreras, ESADE Business School

“Keep your feet on the ground and keep

reaching for the stars!”, Ruth Simsa, Vienna

University

Four challenges…

Civic engagementIncome diversification

InternationalisationInclusion and Diversity

…Four opportunities!

Towards strategic leadership

Civic Engagement“Effective leaders are

concerned with people and tasks”, Dr. Michael

Meyer, Vienna University

“Increasingly, the public expects civil society

organisation to deliver services rather than being a voice”, Fredrik Kron, IDEELL ARENA

Engage better, Engage more

• Be identifiable: set the vision to shape your “brand”

• Use the social media: train and develop new skills within your organisations

• Bridge the democratic gap: position your organisation as a bridge between citizens and public authorities

• Value your social capital: define, recognise the value of and promote the different roles within your organisation (staff, trustees, members, volunteers, etc.)

• Promote diversity within your organisation

A Key European learningThere is an increasing polarisation between civic movements and civil society organisations. Civil society leaders themselves need to carry strong social messages if they want to engage a wider public.

Strategic funding

• What do we face?• Public funding cuts• High levels of insecurity with regard to the future, difficulties to plan• Doubts about financial sustainability of our organisations• Increasing competition for funding• A focus on “impact” which is difficult to measure

• And yet…We have to do more with less!

“Balancing sustainability of our business models with creation of social value has become highly challenging –

we have to avoid dependency on projects”, Anne Bergvith Sorensen,

Social +

Innovate in funding strategy

• Use Social Audits to measure your impact and provide evidence to back your fundraising plan

• Explore new financial tools:• New public money such as European funding (i.e.: structural funds)• Sources of private money (Foundations, Corporates, etc.)• Ethical banks• Crowdfunding (donation and investment platforms)• Social Impact Bonds (take a look at what is happening in the USA!)• Explore innovative products on the financial markets

A Key European learningOur countries have various approaches towards funding strategies: foundations, private funding, philanthropy… There is no one-fits-all strategy. Broaden your perspectives!

Internationalisation

•What do we face?• Geopolitical instability preventing long-term investments in certain regions and

generating high migration flows• Hyper-connectivity: speed of information, multiplication of sources• Confrontation between different value sets• Global and European governance but no real convergence• Increasing geo-targeted funding in emerging economies• Global issues : data protection, environment protection, climate change

• And yet…We all have to impact locally while operating in an internationalised environment!

“We need to be globally intelligent and locally impactful”, Heather Roy,

Eurodiaconia

Think beyond borders!

•Audit your staff’s skills and embed an international philosophy throughout your organisation. Do not concentrate competences in a unique role.

•Develop an international network•Develop partnerships across sectors, areas and countries

•Liaise with international organisations and stakeholders

•Explore European funding with European partners •Get out of your comfort zone!

A Key European learning We need to develop international leadership skills because ever-changing external contexts do shape our opportunities to work for impact!

Diversityage, ethnicity, gender, disability

• What do we face?• Demographic change: an increasing ageing society• High level of migrations• Confrontation of diverging value sets• Increasing xenophobic movements• High income differences, increasing levels of poverty

• And yet…Our organisation must reflect our societies’ diversity and be closer to the public!

Don’t get complacent! At Chair level, it is still male dominated

– we must continue to advance!”, Pat Armstrong,

ACOSVO

“Good leaders work with local communities to find

practical and effective solutions”, Sir Stephen Bubb,

ACEVO

Be inclusive!

• Acknowledge the benefits of diversity in your organisation, proven to improve the organisation, its business and governance

• Promote equal opportunities and boost diversity:• in senior positions • at board level• throughout the decision-making process

• Rethink the right set of skills and personal backgrounds you need to be innovative. Integrate staff, volunteers and trustees with different professional and personal backgrounds for complementarity and more innovative ideas

• Work with and engage communities to promote bottom-up initiatives

Board diversity is proven to increase

productivity and impact”, Petra Biberbach, PAS

A Key European learning CSOs must lead by example, evidencing that diversity not only mirrors reality but also broadens your impact.

Towards strategic leadership

• Emerging knowhow and skills needs for civil society organisations and social enterprises: what competences do we need to develop now to be fit for the world of 2020?

• 3 areas: knowhow for people; knowhow for money; knowhow for collaboration

• Connecting EU Member States with the EU neighbourhood in the Western Balkans

The Euclid Summit 2015

Power to drive positive change – Building civil society and social enterprise knowhow for 2020 and beyond

14-16 October 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia

• Propose and expert presentation or a case study for the masterclasses

• Propose a knowhow breakout session• Propose a knowhow café

• Complete the Euclid knowhow audit which will help shape the manifesto

• Co-create and co-edit the Euclid knowhow manifesto

How can you get involved?

The Euclid Summit 2015

Contact Alexandra for more information!

The Euclid Summit 2015

Contact Alexandra for more information!